Venezuela's Chavez faces growing labor strife

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN06500948

Wed May 6, 2009 11:09am EDT

* Government payroll much larger after nationalizations

* Tense relations with unions despite pro-worker rhetoric

By Brian Ellsworth

CARACAS, May 6 (Reuters) - Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez faces growing protests by government workers this year as falling oil prices cut into economic growth and force spending cuts.

Unions representing workers from the education and health sectors to the vital oil industry are demanding that the socialist government, the country's top employer, raise wages despite a growing cash shortfall.

Chavez has long had tense relations with the unions, which he complains are over-privileged, but he managed to keep a lid on problems by raising wages during a five-year oil boom.

Once-mighty labor organizations tied to opposition parties have lost influence under Chavez, but the protests could still slow operations of key government-run services such as electricity, telecommunications, schools and hospitals.

"The economic crisis is going to hit Venezuela, and it's not fair that the workers should end up paying the price," said Orlando Chirino, a union leader who supports Chavez but criticizes the government. "Without a doubt we're going to see an increase in labor conflicts this year."

The loudest protests so far come from oil workers, who have for months complained the state oil company PDVSA is stalling collective bargaining talks. They reacted angrily when Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said they would not receive bonuses or wage raises this year.

FULL story at link.

[dcsmart]

1. the sad part about this

is chavez and his government is not socialist. so, when it all comes apart people will say socialism doesn't work. if it was a socialist country the workers would be running much of the industries.

"Socialism is that social system under which the necessaries of production are owned, controlled, and administered by the people, for the people, and under which, accordingly, the cause of political and economic despotism having been abolished, class rule is at end. ”That is Socialism, nothing short of that."

INDUSTRIALISM
by
Daniel DeLeon
http://www.marxists.org/archive/deleon/works/1906/060123.htm

great post
K & R



:toast: